WESTBROOK – Shervin Sabeti scored his first career goal for Deering to put an exclamation point on the Rams’ 4-0 dismantling of Westbrook in an SMAA schoolboy soccer game Tuesday night.

“It felt amazing,” Sabeti said. “Jonata (Mbongo) passed the ball to me and I just shot it.”

And that shot was a laser into the top corner that capped Deering’s barrage of four goals in the second half.

The Rams dominated possession and scoring chances in the first half but were unable to put the ball in the net.

“In the first half we were too direct, too down the middle,” Coach Joel Costigan said. “In the second half they started pressuring us a lot more and it allowed us to spread the field.”

Alec Halpin got the Rams on the board only 40 seconds into the second half, heading the ball past goalkeeper Austin Blake off a corner kick from Ben Peterson.

“I just wanted to play it near post,” Peterson said. “We had (Halpin) on the front post who tried to just put any part of his body on it. Every game we go 0-0 at halftime. It feels so good to finally get a 4-0 win and score some goals.”

Westbrook was unable to rebound after Deering (7-1-1) came out of the half so strong.

“They changed what they were doing in the second half and it worked to our benefit,” Costigan said.

“It’s always tough when you give up a goal in the first minute of the half, Westbrook Coach John C.L. Morgan said.

“There’s a certain sense of deflation. Our Achilles’ heel all year has been giving up long throws, corners and free kicks. They had eight corners in the game. Against a good team like that, eventually they’re going to put one in. Unfortunately it came 45 seconds into the second half.”

Deering’s relentless pressure proved to be too much for the deflated Blue Blazes.

David Bujambi was the next to capitalize for the Rams, as he launched the ball into the back corner of the net to make it a two-goal game with 30 minutes to play.

Eight minutes later, Stephen Ochan made it 3-0 as he punched the ball in after a scramble in front of the net.

Then it was Sabeti’s turn. The senior who seldom plays went top shelf, causing his teammates to erupt even though the game was well in hand.

“Biggest heart on the team,” Peterson said. “He works hard in practice but rarely gets in during close games. He’s a fan favorite.”

“It was great,” Costigan said. “He’s one of those kids you want on the team. He’s just a great kid.”

Westbrook (4-3-2) will take the positives from Tuesday’s first half as its turnaround season continues.

“We did well in the first half,” Morgan said. “We just need to turn those 40 minutes of good play into 80.”

 

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